Ever wonder why some signs are placed in awkward positions? For example, you are driving towards a major intersection, you see the traffic lights and shortly after, you notice a “Traffic lights ahead” sign. The fact that you’ve already seen the traffic lights before the sign makes that sign have no value whatsoever.
In sales, a lot of businesses and sales leaders often notice their sales representatives are in a slump at the end of a month, quarter, half or year (depending on how often they measure results). Or even worse, their sales representatives move on to a competitor or different industry. The leaders then begin to ask questions at the exit interview to remedy the situation or make amends. By then, it’s already too late!
A sales slump can happen to even the best of sales professionals. A sales slump is contagious, and all efforts should be taken to avoid that energy spreading to other members of the team. When the signs are noticed early enough, a degringolade can be avoided.
How do leaders know what the signs are and how to correct the situation before things get out of hand?
First with the tangibles:
Leverage reporting tools and performance metrics: All activities of sales professionals should be tracked and monitored over time. Even for a one-person sales team – personal accountability and tracking is essential. When activities and performance are tracked often enough (say daily or weekly), one can tell quickly that there is a decline in performance/activity and therefore adjust or make corrections.
Stick to the script: Are your sales representatives following the outlined sales process, call scripts, asking pre-determined qualifying questions and using the approved templates? Or are they “going rogue” and freestyling? If the latter is true, it might mean they don’t trust your established processes and that could be a sign.
Next, the intangibles:
Get a read of the energy: When that sanguine energy on the team begins to fade – folks are taking longer lunch breaks; there are more conversations around the coffee station/water cooler and more meetings after the meeting – something is not right!
Show me the money: Be sure your compensation structure is competitive and rewards efforts. Most sales professionals leave for better pay and (or) growth opportunities. Are there opportunities to grow within your organization? Can you implement a better compensation structure without severely impacting your bottom line?
What can leaders do to spot the cause(s) before the symptoms are manifested?
Have regular, frequent meetings: A weekly sales meeting is perhaps the single, most important structure to have. Not a (conference) call, but a face-to-face meeting. When I work with clients, this is the first thing we put in place. Great leaders allude to the power of the Mastermind Group. Your sales team is your Mastermind Group. Implement weekly meetings and you’ll notice the difference all around!
Get feedback from your team: How are they doing outside the work environment? How are their families? What are their goals? What do they care about? Are they getting the support they need from you and the organization? You’ll be surprised how much of a difference it will make to the sales professional, your team and the organization when you show you care about them beyond their results.
Include them in decisions: Even when they must live with a leadership decision, be sure to include them versus dictate to them. Let their opinions be heard, even if they are inconsequential. The feeling of being heard and valued means a lot to the folks in the frontline, pounding the phones or pavements to sell your business.
Recognize their efforts: When a sales professional is putting in the work, has the right attitude and is following the outlined processes, success is inevitable. In the meantime, recognize and acknowledge them. This will give them the motivation to keep doing the good work and stay optimistic that the results will come.
Be sure to spot the sign early enough by doing what you can do and leveraging metrics before your thriving sales empire becomes a xeric environment!
Need help figuring out the right reporting tools and metrics? Need help getting your sales representative(s) out of a slump? Need to implement structure in your sales organization? Let’s talk: info@thecommissioninternational.com
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